VZCZCXYZ0009
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0506 0741321
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 141321Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5596
INFO RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 3143
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU IMMEDIATE
RUEHAK/TSR ANKARA TU IMMEDIATE
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA//

S E C R E T ANKARA 000506 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PM/RSAT FOR DOWLEY, MP/DTCC FOR WATKINS, ISN/CATR FOR 
MALZAHN, EUR/SE FOR GOODMAN, EUR/CARC FOR BENNETT, EUR/PRA 
FOR PUCKETT AND HARDIMAN, T FOR KATSAPIS, 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2018 
TAGS: ETTC GG MAS PARM PGOV PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: MFA STOPS M72 LAW TRANSFER/SALE TO GEORGIA 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 380 
 
     ¶B. STATE 17964 
 
Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Carl Siebentritt, Reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d) 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see para. 4. 
 
¶2.  (S) Following up on ref a demarche on the potential 
transfer of U.S.-origin M72 light antitank weapons to Georgia 
(ref b), MFA Department Head for Caucasus Affairs Firat Sunel 
told us on March 13 that the GOT interagency investigation 
into the case has been completed.  Sunel confirmed that the 
transfer has not taken place, and stated that the MFA has 
decided to oppose the transaction due to concerns that such a 
transaction might exacerbate already high tensions in 
Georgia.  Sunel said that during meetings with the Ministry 
of Defense, MKEK representatives, and the Turkish General 
Staff, it was unclear whether the equipment in question was 
of U.S. origin or produced under license in Turkey by MKEK. 
Sunel asked whether we have additional information on when 
the equipment might have originally been transferred to 
Turkey or whether the US ever granted a license for MKEK to 
produce the equipment.  We confirmed our understanding that 
the USG has no records of MKEK receiving a license to produce 
the equipment, and agreed to check whether we have records of 
when the equipment was originally transferred to Turkey. 
 
¶3. (S) We reminded Sunel that the US was not opposed to the 
sales of arms to Georgia in principle, only to the transfer 
of U.S.-origin equipment to a third party without prior USG 
consent.  Sunel took the point, but reiterated Turkey's 
decision not to go forward with the transfer.  We asked Sunel 
to keep us apprised of any changes in the MFA's position on 
this transaction. 
 
¶4. (S) Action Request: Request Department provide post 
information, if available, on when ref b equipment was 
originally transferred to Turkey.  End Action Request. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey 
 
WILSON